ARA Guerrico (P-32)
| Ship class = D'Estienne d'Orves class Aviso | Ship ordered = February 1976 | Ship builder = Lorient, France | Ship laid down = 1 October 1976 | Ship launched = 13 September 1977 | Ship christened = SAS Transvaal | Ship out of service = 17 November 1977 | Ship fate = Delivery blocked by UNSCR 418 during sea trials in France }} |module2= | Ship namesake = Rear Admiral Martin Guerrico | Ship ordered = 1978 | Ship purchased = | Ship commissioned = 1978 | Ship operator = | Ship in service = 9 November 1978 | Ship renamed = ARA Guerrico | Ship status = | Ship homeport = Mar del Plata }} |module3= |Ship length = |Ship beam = |Ship draught = |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=2× SEMT Pielstick 12 PC 2.2 V400 diesels, 2× CP propellers |Ship speed= |Ship range= at |Ship endurance=15 days |Ship complement=5 officers, 79 enlisted, 95 berths |Ship sensors= Thales DRBV 51A air/surface search Thales DRBC-32E fire control Consilium Selesmar NavBat Thales Diodon hull MF sonar |Ship EW = Thales DR 2000 S3 Thales Alligator 51 jammer 2× 18 Corvus decoys (P31/2) 2× Matra Dagaie decoys (P33) |Ship armament =4× MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles 1× 100 mm/55 Mod.1968 dual purpose gun 1× twin Bofors 40 mm L/70 AA guns 2× 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns 2× .50cal Colt M2 machine guns 2× triple 324 mm ILAS-3 tubes (WASS A-244S torpedoes) |Ship aircraft = none |Ship aircraft facilities=small pad for VERTREP }} }} ARA Guerrico (P-32) is a Drummond class corvette of the Argentine Navy. She is the first vessel to be named after Rear Admiral Martin Guerrico who fought in the 19th century Paraguayan War. She is currently based at Mar del Plata and conducts fishery patrol duties in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone where she has captured several trawlers in recent years. According to reports in November 2012 the Drummond class "hardly sail because of lack of resources for operational expenses". Service history Guerrico was built in 1977 in France for the South African Navy to be named SAS Transvaal but was embargoed at the last minute by United Nations Security Council Resolution 418. It was sold to Argentina instead and delivered on 9 November 1978. She was rushed into service and deployed a month later for the Operation Soberanía against Chile. In 1982 she served in the Falklands War ( ) most notably in the Invasion of South Georgia where she was damaged by Royal Marines weapon fire which led to her spending three days in dry dock for repairs before rejoining the fleet as part of Task Group 79.4, alongside her sister ships operating to the north of the islands.The Royal Navy and the Falklands War, David Brown, Leo Cooper (publisher), 1987, ISBN 978-0-85052-059-0, p.120 She carried the P-2 pennant number until the introduction of the Espora class corvettes in 1985 when she became P-32. In 1994, Guerrico and her sisters participated in Operation Uphold Democracy, the United Nations blockade of Haiti. During this time, she was based at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. She has also served as support ship of the Buenos Aires-Rio de Janeiro tall ships races. References Portions based on a translation from Spanish Wikipedia. Further reading * Guia de los buques de la Armada Argentina 2005–2006. Ignacio Amendolara Bourdette, ISBN 987-43-9400-5, Editor n/a. (Spanish/English text) External links * Argentine Navy official site, specifications and brief history (in Spanish) Category:Drummond-class corvettes Category:Ships built in France Category:1978 ships Category:Active corvettes of Argentina